Accelerator attachment



June 9, 1931. F. M. BUTLER r ACCELERATOR ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. l5, 1927.lNvENToR Fna/us M. 50u51? .57 BY AT NEY June 9, 1931. F. M. BUTLERACCELERATOR ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 15. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented.lune 9, 193i Unirse sirr non

meros n. istr'i'nnr',A on SEATTLE, wasmn'oTon AconnEnATon ATTacmrEnfrApplication led August 15, 192'?. Serial No. 312,945.

ated by the knee or leg of the vehicle driver as distinguished fromaccelerator of the foot or hand operated types.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide'anaccelerator of the above stated character that may be installed withoutrequiring the removal of 0r anyalteration in the parts with which it isassociated, and which does not interfere with independent use of theaccelerator mechanisms, or devices, with which a vehicle may already heequipped f t More specifically stated, it is the object of thisinvention to provide an accelerator attachment comprising a controllever adapted`v to be operatively supported from the instrument board,or any other conveniently located, fixed part of the vehicle, and whichextends to a position at which it may be moved laterally bythe knee orleg of the vehicle driver, and when so moved, will actuate certaindevices connected with and controlling the action of the throttle valveof the vehicle carburetorn It is also an object of the invention toprovide a device of the above type having .fcertain features ofadjustment that makes it adaptable for use by diii'erent drivers as wellas in various positions and on cars of various ty s. A

A still further object is to so construct-the device that it is mostsuitable for use on Ford automobiles, although not conned in its use tothis particular make of vehicle.

'Other objects of the invention reside in the various details orconstruction and in the comhination ol parts as is hereinafterdescribed,

In accomplishing these objects, I have provided the .improved details ofconstruction, the preferred Ecrins of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a pers ective view,illustrating an accelerator attac ent embodied by the present inventionand one method oli mount in it,

igure 2 is a perspective view of the accelerator attachment and' certainparts oi the vehicle with which it is associated.'

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the in-1 strument' board, lshowingthe attachment thereto of a supporting bracket whereby the control leverof the accelerator is operatively su ported.

igure 4 is a detail section of the -hall and socket connection betweenthe inner end. ci the accelerator lever anda connecting rod.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the mechanism as installed.,

Figure 6 is a perspective view, showing the method ot and means forattaching the device to a steering column Figure 7 is a perspective viewillustrating the use of the present device in connection with a footthrottle device,

Referring more in detail to the drawings- 1 designates what may he theinstrument board of an automobile ci a type with'which the presentdevice is particularly adapted for use, 2 the steering column whichextends in a downwardly inclined position through the instrument board,and 3 the steering shaft which is equipped at its upper end with a'steering wheel 4:.; Contained within the steer- S0 l ing column,alongside ofthe steering shaft, is

a rod 5 which, at its upper e'nd, `is provided with a laterallyextending, actuating levez` 6 and, near its lower end, has a short,downwardl extended lever 7 xed thereto. This S5 lever is connected, aswill presently he de .A scribed', with the throttle valve actuatinglever 8 of the carburetor 9 so that, by adjustment of the lever 6, thesaid valve will be ad'- j'usted accordingly for the admitting-oi more 9@.l

or less fuel to the engine.

As was reviously stated, it is one of the objects of t' is invention toprovide an accelo crater attachment that may he install for useindependently oi the accelerator mechaa nism already applied to the carhut which, at the same time, will not prevent independent use of thelatter. The device which l have provided, in its preferred torno, cosoi? e control lever formed with. leg portions 1l and provided with anaperture 17 within which a shank 14' extending from the block 14 ispivotally secured. The portion 12 of the control lever, which extendswhen in use to a position overlying the forward edge of the vehicleseat, is telescopicially fitted within a co-extensive tubular member 18which is equipped at its rearward' end with a pad' 19 against which thevehicle operator may press the leg or knee to swing the lever laterally.

Connected to the end of the leg portion 11, preferably by means of alball and socket connection as designated at 20 in Figure 4, is aconnecting rod 21 which extends downwardly and forwardly throu h anopening 22 provided' in the das boar 23, and, at its lower end, isconnected through the intermediacy of a short chain 24, provided for thepurpose of easy adjustment, with a leg 25 of a pivotally mounted bellcrank 26 having its other leg 27 connected by means of a rod 28 with thethrottle valve actuating lever 8 of the carburetor. The bell crank 26 ismounted construction and connections previously de pivotally by means ofa bracket member 29 which is fastened by`a bolt 30 to the side of theE'ehicle engine designated' at 31 in Figure In order that the throttlewill be closed when not held open, I have attached a small coiled spring32 to the bell crank leg 27 and to a fixed part of the steering gear, asshown in Figure 5.

With the parts of the device so constructed, arranged and connectedtogether in the manner described, it isv readily apparent that lateralswinging vmovement of the control lever incident to the application ofpressure against the pad 19 w1ll cause the throttle valve of thecarburetor to be actuated through the various connections provided toadmit more or less fuel to the vehicle engine and, when the pressure isremoved, the spring 32 brings the parts back to closed position.

To provide for actuation of the device by the regular throttleequipment, I apply a slip sleeve 35 about the rod and connect this by alink 36 with the lever 7 or the throttle rod and fix a. collar 37 on therod 28 against which `the end of the sleeve may abut. This providesthat, when the throttle lever is adjusted to open the throttle, thesleeve will engage the stop and through it actuate the rod 28 to openthe throttle. Also; this provides a slip connection'that permits use ofthe present equipment without interference by the regular equipment.

orted pivotally from the instrumentv y means of a lbracket 15'; thebracketY In Figu bracket extends laterally to a proper posi-v tion andthere is provided with an openingI for pivotally receivin the mountingshank 4of the block 14. The racket 40 may be adjusted along the columnto a desired position and may, if desired, be provided with a series ofapertures 43 for recelving the mounting shank of the block 14 so 'as toprovide for a proper, or desirable, positioning of the control lever.

In Figure 7 is illustrated the application of themechanism for use inconnection with a foot throttle device. In this view, 50 des'- ignateswhat may be a foot pedal of any suitable character having operativeconnection with the throttle valve of the carburetor whereby downwardpressure in the pedal causes the throttle to open. Fixed to floor, ordash board, is a bracket 51 to which a bell crank 52 is attached by apivot bolt 53. One arm of the crank overlies and bears against the pedal50 and the other is connected by a link 54 to the lever arm 11. Withthis arrangement, movement of the control lever actuates the throttlepedal 50 to produce the same results as is provided by the scribed. v

A feature of the present construction resides in its adaptabllity tovarious persons and various cars. It will be noted that the effectivelength of the control lever may be varied as is required to suitdilerent persons through the. telescopic connections of the parts 12 and18 and that, by slidably adjusting the lever portion 11 through theblock 14, the pad may be. brought into proper relation to the knee. Whenthe device is not 'in use, the controllever may be swung upwardly andout of the way as indicated 1n dotted lines in Figure 1, to permit readypassage of the driver from or to the seat.

What I claim is: 1. In a vehicle of the character described incombination with the throttle member, an

accelerator means comprising a pivoted support, a control lever slidabletherein and operatively connected with the throttle member and extendedto a position suitable for actuation by lateral movement of the hee orleg of a person in the drivers seat.,

2. In a vehicle of the character described in combination withthe fuelthrottle mechanism, an accelerator attachment comprising a pivotedsupport, 'a control lever slidable therein and having operativeconnection at one end with the throttle mechanism and having anextension member at its other endv adapted to be adjusted for use to asubstantilly horizontal position adjacent the knee or leg of the personin the drivers seat, and when not in use, to lbe adjusted forwardly to aposition spaced substantially from the drivers seat.

3. In a vehicle of the character described having an instrument boardand a fuel throttle mechanism, an accelerator attachment comprising abearing member pivotally supported from the instrument board, a controllever swingingly supported by the bearing and extended to a positionsuitable for actuation by the knee or leg of a person in the driversposition and means connecting the lever and throttle mechanism wherebythe` latter will be actuated in accordance with swinging movement of thelever.

. from the instrument 4. In a vehicle of the character described havingan instrument board and a fuel throttle mechanism, an acceleratorattachment comprising a bearing` block pivotally supported from theinstrument board, a. control lever extended through the block andswingingly supported thereby with its rearward. end adapted foradjustment to a position suitable for actuation by the knee or leg of aperson in the drivers seat, and mechanism operatively connectingtheforward end of the lever with the throttle mechanism.-

5. In a vehicle of the character described having an instrument boardand a fuel throttle mechanism, an accelerator attachment comprising abearin pivotally supported oard, a control lever comprising forward andrearward portions formed substantially at right angles to eachother withthe forward portion slidably adjustable within the bearing and therearward portion extended to a position suitable for lateral actuationby the knee or'leg of a person in the drivers seat, and mechanismconnecting the end of the forward portion with the throttle mechanismwhereby the latter will be actuated in accordance with movement of thecontrol lever.

6. In a vehicle of the character -described having an instrument boardand a fuel throttle mechanism, an accelerator attachment comprising abracket fixed to the instrument board, a bearing block pivotallysupported by the bracket having an opening therethrough, a control levercomprlsing forward and rearward portions formed substantially at a rightangle to each other; said forward portion being slidably adjustable androtatably contained in the block opening, and said rearward portionbeing ada ted for adjustment to a position suitable or actuation bylateral movement of the knee or leg of a person in the drivers seatand'mechanism-connecting the end of the forward portion of the leverwith the throttle mechanism whereby the latter will be actuated inaccordance withJ movement of the control lever.

7. In a vehicle of the character described having an instrument boardand a fuel throttle mechanism, an accelerator attachment comprising a.bracket fixed to the instrument board, a bearing block pivotally4supported by the bracket having an opening therethrough, a control leverhaving a laterally turned, forward end portion slidably and rotatablycontained in the block opening and operatively connected with thethrottle mechanism and having a rearwardly extending portlon providedwith an extension member that is adjustable to a position suitable forlaterally actuation by the knee or, leg of a lperson in the driversseat.

mechanism and having a rearwardly extended i portion that is Yadjustablev to different ositions transversely of the vehicle byshifting of the forward portion. in said block, an extension sleeveadjustably fitted on the rearward end of the lever and a knee pad insaid sleeve; said lever mechanism being adaptedto be positioned byadjustment ofthe parts for actuation by lateral movement of the knee' orleg of a person in the drivers seat.

9. In a vehicle of the character described having an instrument board, acarburetor having a throttle control lever, an accelerator attachmentcomprising a bracket that is fixed to the instrument board, a bearingblock pivotally supported by the bracket and having an openin therethrouh, a control lever comrising ormed substantially at right vangles toeach other; said forward portion being slidably adjustable and.rotatably contained Ain the block opening and said rearward portionbeing adapted for adjustment to a position suitable for actuation bylateral movement of the knee or'leg of a person in the drivers seat, abell crank lever pivotally mounted on a fixed part o f the vehicle, alink connecting one leg of the bell crank with the throttle lever and alink operatively connecting the other. leg of the bell crank with theend of the forward portion of the control lever.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 3rd day of'August, 1927.

FABIUS M BUTLER.

orward. an rearward portions

